This happened last year but I am bored and want to tell this story. :D I was going up to my buddy's cabin in Northern Minnesota and was trailering my Craft. To do this I have to go through Minneapolis and I was on interstate 494 which is about the most jam-packed road pretty much in the state. It was packed and I was flying about 65 down the road when suddenly--Bang!--complete blowout on my trailer. I make it to the side of the road and I start sweating because--oh yeah--I don't have a spare. Ooops. I had bought it a month or two before and it didn't come with one. Well, I called my cousin who lived up there and I took off my wheel and gave it to him to go get a new tire at Tires Plus. So he did and finally came back. I put the tire on and it work great and I kept driving up north. I was pretty proud of myself--I really got out of a jam--or so I thought.

Well, I went for about 15 mins, and guess what, the brand-spanking new tire completely blows out!! At this point it is getting dark and I am pretty much swearing up a storm. I drive the boat off the interstate--on the rim, basically destroying the rim--and pull into a parking lot. I calmed down and decided it would be best if I sleep in the car and head over to tires plus the next day. Went to tires plus--they told me they couldn't get a tire in until 2 days! I needed a radial tire--that was my problem. I was like F this. I called a tow truck and they wouldn't tow it. Then I pretty much swore for an hour while the Holiday Inn that I had parked at and torn up their new blacktop with the rim, told me that I need to to leave. All of a sudden the lightbulb came on. A mastercraft dealer! I went to Midwest Water Sports in Hopkins and they set me up with two complete sets and now I will never go to a different place to buy my wakeboard stuff because they pretty much saved my boat.

So anyways, moral of the story, always, always, have a spare!!!!

What's your worst story?

bigmac

07-16-2005, 08:48 AM

What's your worst story?

It's the Minneapolis traffic on 494 that makes your story especially horrifying to me.

Last year, my daughter limps our 23 foot Century Arrow (Yamaha I/O) into our lift because it won't shift - always in forward ("I don't know what happened, Daddy...I didn't do anything.."). So, I send my son with the trailer and take off for the ramp, about 5 miles across the lake. Halfway there, it overheats. I shut it down, flag down a couple of kids, who tow me to the ramp. On the slow trip there I have time to think, the scenario becomes clear - she started and tried to run the boat with the motor tilted all the way up, fried the shifter cable and shredded the raw water pump impeller. Teen agers and boats...I could go on and on, but that's a whole 'nother set of stories.

We get the boat loaded on the single axle Karavan and take off for home. Halfway there, I hear a huge racket from back there, look in the mirror and see an impressive shower of sparks from the driver side trailer wheel. I pull off and we go back to look - the wheel and tire are gone, nowhere to be seen. The lug nuts have all snapped, the trailer fender is mangled, the brake drum hub is ruined. We begin the search, found the wheel and tire having bounded across to the right shoulder into a lawn, and it has hit the rear quarter panel of a pickup truck and creased it big time. The lug nuts apparently had hit a car going the other way when they flew off, but he only stopped then drove off. With only a little imagination, you can envision a number of far more horrifying scenarios that COULD have happened in this situation.

I call the Sheriff - I work with these deputies so I'm taking an amazing amount of ribbing while we're trying to find the owner of the pickup truck - it turns out to be a friend's of mine so when he arrives, the ribbing becomes merciless. It's evening, the mosquitos are also merciless. So, finally, reports are written, photos are taken, we gotta figure out how to get the whole thing home - it needs a new brake hub, which is not an off-the-shelf item. The guy with the flatbed trailer arrives, and he winches the boat and trailer onto the flatbed - pretty slick. As he retracts the ramp, the front wheels of this big truck come off the ground - I was impressed, but the driver seems only a little concerned.

We get it home. The next morning, I begin the search for a new brake hub. Nobody's got one - I have to get it direct from Karavan. I can tell you that second-day air for 80 pounds worth of auto parts is pretty expensive (I ordered two hubs). I get the hubs changed - no big deal, and finally am able to get the boat to the dealer to get the repairs done and new fender (fender is a Fleet Farm item, as it turns out). Ultimately, I noted with my next insurance statement that this adventure has gone down as a "chargeable accident".

All-in-all, this was a pretty expensive adventure.

The moral? you can carry all the spare tires you want, but don't forget the spare right and left brake hubs, as well as the extra bearings etc, and especially, don't forget to periodically check your lug nut torque.

Farmer Ted

07-16-2005, 10:56 AM

.....I was on interstate 494 which is about the most jam-packed road pretty much in the state.

Say no more......

The fact you had to deal with 494 is horror story enough. My sister lives in Saint Bonifacius and deals with that nightmare daily.

Kevin 89MC

08-10-2005, 05:28 PM

Ah, yes - 494. I drive it to & from work almost daily (on the west & south side of town). The construction has been a real PITA. They are almost done making it 3 lanes each direction on the west side. The east side, where it crosses the Mississippi, is still out a few years. The traffic sucks! I have to cross it to get to our semi-private lake with a course, which is woth it!
Midwest Mastercraft has now moved to Crystal, a bit farther north. Nice new big showroom, but hit and miss with parts & service, and general inquiries. Pretty good group for the most part though.
My trailer story - not too bad. Snapped off the front 3" of a leaf spring leaving the private lake. Hit a pothole going pretty slow. Stopped right away, no damage to tire or fender. Luckily had some chunks of 2X4 in the boat (that I use to prop the engine cover open slightly) that I could wedge under the remaining part of the leaf spring, and hold it all in place with the omnipotent duct tape. Trailered home just fine. Got 2 new springs at a local spring shop (didn't bother to call MC, mine's an '89), back up and running the next day for ~$100. My bro-in-law busted a leaf spring on his '99 PS trailer going about 70 on the interstate. Had get flatbed towed, new springs, tires, fender, etc. Oh well, the price we pay for fun!
Kevin

jsonova99

08-10-2005, 05:33 PM

I keep 2 spares :D

88 PS190

08-16-2005, 02:51 PM

Try 90/94 through chicago.... in rush hour.

erkoehler

08-16-2005, 02:59 PM

Try 90/94 through chicago.... in rush hour.

That place is nuts!!! Where are you located.....

Scot

08-16-2005, 03:25 PM

Ah, yes - 494. I drive it to & from work almost daily (on the west & south side of town). The construction has been a real PITA. They are almost done making it 3 lanes each direction on the west side. The east side, where it crosses the Mississippi, is still out a few years. The traffic sucks!

3 lanes... Traffic? How about I-10 in West Houston.... They are in the process of expanding it to a total of 22 lanes for east and west traffic!!!

I think I'm going to retorque my lug nuts tonight!!! :eek3:

erkoehler

08-16-2005, 03:27 PM

22 lanes! that is absolutely nuts....

88 PS190

08-16-2005, 03:38 PM

west, kind of near I-55, I-294, and I-88 if you can picture where they all sort of meet up.

SteveO

08-16-2005, 03:51 PM

Since we are all friends, I thought I would give everyone a good laugh today. This thread reminds me of my dumbest trailering story. My storage facility is a valet service where you call ahead and they have the boat out front. I went to pick up my boat and was interrupted by one of the attendants as I was putting the hitch ball mount in the receiver hitch. I slide the mount in, connected the trailer wiring harness, lowered the trailer onto the ball, put all the safety chains and connected the wiring and off I went. As I turned out of the parking lot, I heard a clatter and first thought the trailer popped off the ball. Just then it hit me. I left the pin and clip lying in the back of the SUV. I finally got the SUV stopped as the boat pushed me down the road. I had all kind of crazy thoughts going through my mind. Mainly that the A$$ end of my 2 week old 4Runner was smashed to S%^&$. Lucky for me the safety chains did their job and the 4Runner was unharmed and the only damage done was a 1/2 missing from the bottom of the ball bolt and a huge 1/8 mile scrape in the asphalt. I called up to the storage facility and asked them to send the tractor down the street to assist me. And I hadn't even had a beer at this point.

When I called up the next time to get the boat, the Smarta$$ attendant asked me if I planned on putting the pin in this trip

Workin' 4 Toys

08-16-2005, 04:49 PM

Try 90/94 through chicago.... in rush hour.
Why do they still call it rush HOUR when it s*cks 23.59 hours a day? there has to be a better term we could start using.

erkoehler

08-16-2005, 05:19 PM

Thats true!

ssippiriverrat

08-16-2005, 06:10 PM

Ah, yes - 494. I drive it to & from work almost daily (on the west & south side of town). The construction has been a real PITA. They are almost done making it 3 lanes each direction on the west side. The east side, where it crosses the Mississippi, is still out a few years. The traffic sucks! I have to cross it to get to our semi-private lake with a course, which is woth it!

What is the deal with that? I swear I honestly don't remember when there wasn't construction over in the southwest corner. My first blowout occurred where 494 meets 35W and my second occurred at the 55th Hwy exit--I went through the construction with my non-radial tire--thank god it didn't blow there--there is no side of the road--I would have been slamming the trailer into the side of the construction wall. When are they going to finish that thing?

PendO

08-16-2005, 10:24 PM

Since we are all friends, I thought I would give everyone a good laugh today. This thread reminds me of my dumbest trailering story. My storage facility is a valet service where you call ahead and they have the boat out front. I went to pick up my boat and was interrupted by one of the attendants as I was putting the hitch ball mount in the receiver hitch. I slide the mount in, connected the trailer wiring harness, lowered the trailer onto the ball, put all the safety chains and connected the wiring and off I went. As I turned out of the parking lot, I heard a clatter and first thought the trailer popped off the ball. Just then it hit me. I left the pin and clip lying in the back of the SUV. I finally got the SUV stopped as the boat pushed me down the road. I had all kind of crazy thoughts going through my mind. Mainly that the A$$ end of my 2 week old 4Runner was smashed to S%^&$. Lucky for me the safety chains did their job and the 4Runner was unharmed and the only damage done was a 1/2 missing from the bottom of the ball bolt and a huge 1/8 mile scrape in the asphalt. I called up to the storage facility and asked them to send the tractor down the street to assist me. And I hadn't even had a beer at this point.

When I called up the next time to get the boat, the Smarta$$ attendant asked me if I planned on putting the pin in this trip

Great story (no damage) ... so how often do you check the pin now?

jimmer2880

08-17-2005, 06:16 AM

Since we are all friends, I thought I would give everyone a good laugh today. This thread reminds me of my dumbest trailering story. My storage facility is a valet service where you call ahead and they have the boat out front. I went to pick up my boat and was interrupted by one of the attendants as I was putting the hitch ball mount in the receiver hitch. I slide the mount in, connected the trailer wiring harness, lowered the trailer onto the ball, put all the safety chains and connected the wiring and off I went. As I turned out of the parking lot, I heard a clatter and first thought the trailer popped off the ball. Just then it hit me. I left the pin and clip lying in the back of the SUV. I finally got the SUV stopped as the boat pushed me down the road. I had all kind of crazy thoughts going through my mind. Mainly that the A$$ end of my 2 week old 4Runner was smashed to S%^&$. Lucky for me the safety chains did their job and the 4Runner was unharmed and the only damage done was a 1/2 missing from the bottom of the ball bolt and a huge 1/8 mile scrape in the asphalt. I called up to the storage facility and asked them to send the tractor down the street to assist me. And I hadn't even had a beer at this point.

When I called up the next time to get the boat, the Smarta$$ attendant asked me if I planned on putting the pin in this trip

I did that once. Only with me, it was a 7,000 lb tractor & attachments with torsion bars. Luckily for me, there was enough leverage on the hitch and the electric brakes on the trailer did their thing. The hitch never budged - I was able to take the pin off of the truck bumper & insert it in the hitch when I got to the site (15 minute drive).

I'm sure you're glad you use those safety chains :woohoo:

sizzler

08-17-2005, 06:52 AM

try the M25 orbital around London.....a 120 mile rolling carpark.....

on the trailer front,,i had a christening to go to at midday on a fine summers morn...so headed to the coast for some early morning foots...lost a wheel when my hub came off...we had to wait 5hrs for a shop to open up and get spares....missed family chistening and was not very popular for a few days......had one of those "son of paleface" bob hope moments when i almost thought of tying up one side of the trailerto keep it off the ground.....only in the movies eh??? :uglyhamme

peason

08-17-2005, 07:34 AM

Heading back after vacation, somewhere out side of St. Louis, I heard what sounded like thunder, but it was a clear day. Looked in my rearview mirror to see one of my trailer wheels wobbling back and forth, as I left the rest stop. I pull over into a truck weigh station to see that I nearly lost the right wheel - the bearings and spindle are shot.
Leave the boat and trailer parked at the weigh station and head into the next town. Luckily on a Sunday, I find a tow truck and full service station. The son of the owner and I drive the flatbed tow truck out to the boat and haul it in to the station. The owner who just happens to have an inboard too, used to be a competitive trick skier. I couldn't have gotten any luckier - he even towed it to his home for storage. Anyway, I left the trailer and boat with them for a week and drive back 4 hours from home to pick it up.
Later that summer, as I am towing it again the same wheel assembly gives out and I have to replace the whole axel -since it is all one piece - expensive lesson to learn.

sanddragon2004

09-13-2005, 12:56 PM

My horror story comes from the wife and family goes back about 15 years.

they where headed to the delta for a week on the houseboat headed out on 205 twards 5 when wife, looks out back of suburban and sees sparks, flying. Tells her dad, who looks in the rear view mirror to see this horrific site! This is on a 78 mastercraft single axle garbage trailer they came with. axle broke, and completely fell off. both wheels, axle springs and all. leaving 2 bars and a strut, 3 fins, rudder and propshaft dragging down the highway! (o ya this was at like 7oclock at night on a friday with 3 kids in the back of the burb, coolers full of food) they drag the boat off the side of the road litterlay. and had it put on a flat bed, and hauled up to the shop where they proceded to replaced all the hardware under the boat and put a few hrs of fiberglass work in as well! O the trailer was garbage, and was replaced with a new DHL, which has worked pretty much flawlessly ever sense.

this would be the first of 3 rounds of drivetrain being replaced on this boat! funny thing it still drives like its on rails!